QOTOD: Eye Into the Future
UPDATE 3/14/11: While “$1.5 billion in credits” goes out to big oil and other industries, today your NM Senate Finance Committee passed a measure limiting New Mexico Film Incentives to $50M. Source
Our “Quote of the other day” belongs to State Representative Brian Egolf -
We have less than a week to go in the session. The Governor is still ignoring jobs & the economy and focusing exclusively on political wedge issues. I am working hard to protect the film incentive program to keep good jobs here in NM and to hold the line on important conservation issues. I expect that the final days will be very eventful! 3/12/11
Tonight, after a long day in the Senate, amendments being batted about and readied to be heard by the Senate Finance Committee that stand to (carry out the Governor’s vendetta against film) limit New Mexico’s film futures have been held-off until Monday morning.
IATSE 480, the NM chapter of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, is rallying small business owners, trades and other film supporters in the lofty efforts to maintain globally recognized position New Mexico has carved out for itself as a leader in Film.
Thousands upon thousands of New Mexico jobs and the very existence of hundreds of local small businesses hang in the balance. And as Statewide educational programs and institutions ramp-up training and build-up futures for creating and maintaining a sustainable workforce for generations of New Mexicans to come, our Governor vows to veto a state budget that includes Film Incentives with any cap over $45M.
It’s been said time and time again – though perhaps gone unheard, that that cap is “a job killer”. Supporters of the industry have been promised that the current incentive rate will stand at 25% (only 3rd highest in the nation), but it was also a begrudgingly PROMISED during her campaign that no change would be made without a full and transparent study of incentive benefits.
SB 44 passed the House this session allowing for such data to come to fruition but that forthcoming research and report will be rather mute with a production limiting cap. At $45M films the magnitude of last year’s Cowboys & Aliens and Thor would eat-up most if not wipe-out the entire allotment of incentives thereby taking away the chance for more productions within the year and all the jobs film and support service related.
As film, small business, education and training supporters we have through Monday morning to reach out to the Senate Finance Committee here and to the Governess herself here (505-476-2200) to voice our plea to KEEP NM FILM.
IATSE Local is raising money throughout the night to help get the message out and Film Works New Mexico is organizing business owners and other film supporters to lobby Senate Finance members live and in person at the Roundhouse, tick-tock.
